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Lot 102
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Second Battle of Bull Run 28 Page Wounded Soldier's Letter, the Best We Have Ever Seen
Second Battle of Bull Run 28 Page Wounded Soldier's Letter, the Best We Have Ever Seen
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Description:

Civil War

 



 

Remarkably Detailed Letter from New York Soldier Wounded in the Second Battle of Bull Run to His Father in New York

 

“the Whole Army with One Terrific Yell leaped forth & away we went through the Opened field – the Enemy poreing Death & Distruct into Our Ranks; from all Directions Both from Artilery & Musketry – Shell & Solid Shot: Pieces of R.Rd Iron & Mercy Knows What Else  Anything that would Kill.”

 

This fantastic letter offers vividly descriptive details of the operations of the 30th New York Volunteer Infantry throughout much of August 1862, culminating in the Second Battle of Bull Run. Written just weeks after the battle, this incredibly lengthy letter offers a window into the mind and experience of a wounded Union soldier fresh from the carnage and excitement of battle.

 

GEORGE W. CLARKE, Autograph Letter Signed, to “My Dear Father,” September 16-20, 1862, Georgetown College Hospital, Georgetown, D.C. 28 pp., 5" x 8". Expected folds; written in pencil but very legible; cross-hatched text on pp. 25 and 28.

 

Excerpts

“after our retreat from Culpepper Court House, we made a bold Stand on this Side The Rappahannock River at a place called Rappahannock Station  this was August 20th  We had just Barely time to plant Our Cannon when the Enemy made his apperance on the Opposite side of the River  This was Jacksons Command. they opened a terable canonade of Shell & Solid Shot upon us trying to drive us from our position so that they could cross the River but we held the Bridge & the River was too high for them to foard it. Jackson having so much the Superior force. it therefore became necessary that we hold our position at all cost, because their force if Once acrost the River was Strong enough to have anhiolated us in a very Short time.” (p1-2)

 

“at about 10 Oclock A M, a few well Dericted shots from Genl Gibbons old Battery of Rifled 18 pounders dismantled a Rebel Battery of 6 Nepolitan Brass Pieces  as soon as this was accomplished a detachment of Sharp Shooters from our Brigade formed themselves in the woods each man Selecting his Own Big Tree for a Shield and as fast as the Rebels would Run up a Gain on this Old spot they would Each Select his man & horse attached to the Canon & before they could unlimber & Make Ready to fire the Sharp Shooters would Kill Evry man & Horse. the Rebels made thus 18 unsuccessful attempts to replace a Battery where we had Silenced it – but they could not do it.” (p3)

 

“I had Several Narrow Escapes in this days action  One Shell that bursted over our heads just in front of Our Company loaded with Minnie Balls – one of which Struck the but of my Rifle Slivering a piece Out 3 in long  had it hit my leg it would have Shivered it to atoms  another piece of Shell Struck my Bayonet & then Struck the man next to me in the Back causing a Black & Blue lump as large as my fist.” (p3-4)

 

“Genl McDowell determined to give them battle on Thursday 28th if they did not appear too Strong for us.... We had to charge acrost an Open field about 80 Rods distant  as we got about ½ Way acrost the field the Rebels Opened a deadly cross fire upon us with their artilery – doing great damage to us and for ½ moment caused Our Lines to waver – but a fresh yell and away we went – the Enemy Reserving Another full volley for us when we should reach the woods – We heard their Order Make Ready! Take Aim! at this we all droped on our faces at the word ‘fire’ We Sprang to our feet and then the Cold Steel Rattled & we Drove them taking 3 pieces of Artilery and as they retreeted we followed loading & Fireing. We Soon had them from the Wall & out of the Woods  here we held them Fireing into them Whole Volleys at a time” (p15, 17-18)

 

“The Battle was Opened Saturday morning By Our Side commencing on Our Right & in 20 minutes it Extended all Along our front a distance of about 6 miles.” (p23)

 

“With Bayonet fixed & our throats clear – Reserving Our Fire we advanced to within 20 or 30 Rods of them  here we halted and delivered them a volley the whole length of our line – Oh my dear Sir it was awful! So deadly was our fire. it did Seem that ½ the Men in their Ranks fell, at this One discharge.” (p24)

 

“We persued them through the Woods Fireing as We advanced – finely we took up our new Position in the Woods they had just been driven from – & they in another Woods about 80 Rods ahead Crost a Cleared field. here it proved they had Even a better position than the One we had just Driven them from – Beaing on Higher Ground than we – And also having a Rail Road En Bankment about 3 Rods from the Edge of the Woods – this Embankment afforded them a Complete & Secure Brest Work & from Behind this they Would raise up in files – and fire at us & we lying on our faces Behind a Tree.” (p24-25)

 

General John P. Hatch “Came Down the line of his own Brigade – Says he ‘My Boys I expect order (so soon as they are reddy on our 2 wings) to charge on the Enemy: & Boys, put your Trust in God aim low! & Remember your Country! And your Own Souls depend on your Killing your Advisary[’]” (p26)

 

“At a given Signal commencing on the Right – & Extending down the Line – the Whole Army with One Terrific Yell leaped forth & away we went through the Opened field – the Enemy poreing Death & Distruct into Our Ranks; from all Directions Both from Artilery & Musketry – Shell & Solid Shot: Pieces of R.Rd Iron & Mercy Knows What Else  Anything that would Kill  Oh my heart was faint at the Sight  at Evry Step we would get a volley and a Whole line would fall – We Could not Stop to fire  we must get nearer  we must get so near to the RR Embankment that it Would Shield us from Our Side as well as them from theirs. I was in the front Rank  My place in line of Battle is at the head of the Company on the Right & my Capt Directly on my Rear 15 paces – tis I who Says, ‘Come On’! & the Capt ‘Forward My Boys in Close Order’! I was in this charge more active than in any previous one  it did Seem to me that Before Dawn that Eve a glorious Victory would Perch upon the Flag of Our Union! & Rebelion, Receive its Dying Potion  after the first Volley Evry man loaded & Fired at Will. Selecting his man. I had all along throughout the Engagement been Directing my aim against a Rebel Flag Bearer & Guard. We wer arraied against the 9th & 13th Regt Lousiana Tigers. Well We Knew Who they are  they are desparate  I had the Satisfaction of Seeing their flag (or Rag) fall Once before I was hit and many more near it. I was Struck in the Ankle joint by a Rifle Ball which made me Stand on One leg  in this way I fired about 5 times more when I was again Struck above the Ankle joint the Ball passing Out at the Bottom & Out Side of my heal – I then cralled on my hands draging my body after  got behind a large Stone  here I loaded & Fired about 15 times  I saw Our Boys would give Way. The Enemy were reinforced – I Seased Fireing & Commended Myself to God.” (p26-28)

 

“I lay on the Battle field 6 days & nights 2 of Which the Rain fell in torrents. The Surgeons told me could they have attended to me Saturday I might have perhaps Saved my foot, but now to Save my life my Leg must come off Some Where below the Knee. I Says Doctors do what you think Best. My Right leg is Amputated about 6 inches blow the Knee Joint & my Surgeon says tis doing finely  I do not now Suffer So Severely with it.... Dont Worry about me I am going to be able to Wear a Cork leg & I think with Gods Blessings I will prosper well” (p28)

 

Historical Background

The 30th New York Volunteer Infantry served in the defenses of Washington until March 1862, then in several engagements in northern Virginia culminating in the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862. After Clarke was wounded, the regiment went on to participate in the Battles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, and Chancellorsville, before being mustered out in June 1863, at the expiration of their two-year term of enlistment.

 

Charles Henry Alden (1836-1906), a Philadelphia physician and surgeon with the U.S. Medical Corps, organized Georgetown College Hospital in July 1862. Three decades later, after a long career in the Army, Alden served as the first president of the Army Medical School in Washington, D.C. Organized on the campus of Georgetown College, the hospital was one of many in the District of Columbia for wounded Union soldiers. Beginning in 1861, Union military authorities had requisitioned college buildings temporarily for barracks and eventually for a hospital. Although the college continued to operate, its enrollment dropped to as few as seventeen students before it regained control of the campus in February 1863. The college’s medical department prospered during the war, and as the only medical school in Washington, it became a training center for Union surgeons. The hospital on the campus seems to have operated only from the summer of 1862 until early 1863.

George W. Clarke’s father died when he was a child in the 1830s. His mother remarried twice, but in 1862, she was twice widowed and had not yet married her third husband. This letter may be written to Clarke’s father-in-law, whom he addressed as “My Dear Father.”

 


George W. Clarke (1831-1868) was born in Albany, New York, to Ruth Roberts Clarke (1795-1883) and her husband, who died in the 1830s. George W. Clarke married Frances before 1855, and they had at least one child. In 1855, he and his half-brother Nicholas Allendorph were both clerks in Albany, where Clarke lived with his wife Frances, daughter Ida, half-brother Nicholas, and an Irish domestic servant. In 1861, Clarke enlisted in Company C of the 30th New York Volunteer Infantry at Albany to serve two years. He was promoted to first sergeant and was severely wounded on August 30, 1862, at the Second Battle of Bull Run. He had one leg amputated and was discharged for his wounds on November 22, 1862, at Washington, D.C.

 

 



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